Any fixes for scratched SS Dometic Fridge door

[chilibean]

Hi All,

I have a 2007 Dometic Refrigerator model RM3962 with wrap around Platinum Stainless Steel. The door got a nasty scratch in it, and me being the DIY I am, I decided to try to fix it. Um, nope! Made it oh-so-much worse. Dometic quoted me $986.00 plus shipping for a set, but I only need the fridge section. I have not called local RV dealers yet to find out if they can order me one because I know that will still be a lot of $$$. I was thinking about the Thomas Stainless Steel paint, but there are mixed reviews on that, plus it would not be anywhere near the color of the freezer door. I called a local appliance repair shop but they would not touch it. My thinking is now maybe replacing both the panels, but I am not sure if I can do that with the current wrap around. Has anyone here replaced door panels? Or, does anyone have any other ideas? I have lost sleep over this, and feel sick to my stomach every time I look at it. Searching the internet I know I am not alone in ruining a ss door, but that is little comfort knowing this might be a horribly expensive fix. Any ideas or insights are welcome.

Sharon

[OldCoot]

Take both doors to a local body shop along with the paint you want or tell them what paint you want.

[dogsgocamping]

This?

[geotex1]

You have lots of choices... If your scratch was just a surface scratch and your handiwork didn't result in anything deeper than it, find a metal polisher in your area and have them do both pieces. You decide if you polish or re-grain it. Figure a couple hundred bucks. Next thing you can do is have it bead/soda/shell blasted. It'll be a different texture than your other appliances but not a grand investment by any means... If it's somewhere in the center, camouflage your mistake with chalkboard or whiteboard paint or applique. Another solution is to find a vinyl guy and have the doors wrapped. There are new metallic films with the stainless graining. Some things to think about.

[cadman99]

Depending on the depth of the scratch it can be fixed. (Note this is decorative stainless and usually a bit softer than high grade stainless). Try #800 first and see if that attacks the scratch. Start with wet/dry sandpaper. I probably wouldn't use anything coarser than #400. Sand wet. Stainless is very hard but scratches easily.

After the scratch is sanded out use either #2000 wet or dry sandpaper or #000 steel wool. Exactly how you do this will depend on what the end finish needs to look like.

I polish lots of aluminum and stainless but usually to a mirror finish - getting an even brushed finish can be a bit harder.

[Wolfee]

I agree with cadman99. Have used this method before with great results and the materials were cheap compared to the other methods. Worth a try then if you do not like it go the other way.

[Dfulton56]

use some sort of filler to smooth out the scratch/blemish. Then wrap with contact paper and replace onto fridge? They have lots of color choices out there. When that one gets banged up, choose a new look!

[chilibean]

Thank you very much for all the suggestions. Here is what I have so far;

There is a company online that specializes in skins for refrigerators and other appliances. They run about $90-$100. Not bad. That is a possibility.

I put the word out in my area for metal work to make new panels, but that has not produced any results yet.

I took a wet maroon scotch-brite for metals and a block of wood and lightly ran it straight up from bottom to top to even out the previous marks I had put on. (I had done it dry the first time before I knew to do it wet. Mistake after mistake after mistake!!!). I am now looking online for the best topcoat to put on over that, as once I went over it with the maroon pad it did not look as horrible as before. There is a spot on the lower corner that I had taken it down to the black steel, (practicing with different pads), so I am going to try to fudge that spot with a Stainless Steel or Metal Flake paint. I figure now I am going to see what it looks like after I topcoat it, and if it is still not to my liking I will purchase a vinyl skin. They have all sorts of designs, and lots of artwork, so that could actually be kind of neat looking.

What a mess. I so wish I had researched the Dometic fridge more, and that the Platinum Stainless Steel is actually a coating on black steel. I would have saved myself so much grief.

Does anyone here know of a good topcoat for what I am doing? I am not sure if Krylon or Rustoleum are actually the products I want to use. Maybe I am over- thinking this.

Thanks again for all the suggestions. Oh if only I could go back in time :-/